She comes home every few weeks to keep with her clients, and I have an appointment this week!

I always love our appointments because she always has such fun stories about all their adventures, and the Christmas presents some of the big players get for their fellow teammates, and their unique outings and get togethers.

It always inspires me to want to do something fun myself.

Sure, I may not have a movie debut watch party with all sorts of glitz and glam, but I can totally have a movie night with all sorts of sweat pants and healthy snacks.

What’s great about it, is that it helps contribute to overall increase calorie burn. The article put it into a great analogy:

” Think of your body as a computer: As long as you’re moving the mouse and tapping the keys, all systems are go. But let it idle for a few minutes, and the machine goes into power-conservation mode. Your body is meant to be active, so when you sit and do nothing for too long, it shuts down and burns less energy. Getting consistent activity throughout the day keeps your metabolism humming along in high gear.”

Sounds easy enough, right!? I thought so. It didn’t take me long to think up efficiencies I can be doing in my own workplace to help me stay a little more active when possible.

About a year ago I started incorporating these tips into my own work day to help breakup the monotony and keep my blood moving when possible.

Definitely incorporate a few of these (or more!) into each work day to make sure you increase that that NEAT and keep a little more active than going into conservation mode!

-Set a kitchen timer to 60 minutes, and when it dings, get up and do a quick lap around the inside of your office.

-Stand during teleconferences.

I am on a lot of calls each day, and most of them only require me to talk for a small portion of the overall meeting. I just shut my office door, put the phone on speaker, and pace while the call is in session. If I have an email come in, I check it while standing.

-Take a quick walk outside during a break. I have a pair of tennis shoes under my desk, and my coworker and I try to walk for 15 minutes about three times a week. We mapped our path, and three times around our building area is a mile. It doesn’t take long, the fresh air is good, stretching my legs is better, and the company is nice too!

-Trade your chair for a stability ball. I’ve never done this, but I do know people that have. It is excellent core work, as it forces you to engage your muscles all the time!

-Don’t you dare take the elevator! Use those stairs!

-Instead of emailing or calling coworkers from your desk, stop by their cube or office for a face to face chat.

-Park farther away.

-Believe it or not- fidget when you’re alone at your desk. I know our moms said it was bad, but in terms of NEAT, it’s actually a good thing.

-Print to the printer farthest away from your desk. Pick up your docs as you make a stop to visit your coworker or head to a meeting.

-Take time to stretch at some point during the day. I extend my legs out from under my desk all the time, as my hamstrings always get tight from sitting all the time!

-Obviously if you’re feeling a little stir crazy and have an extra minute or two do some quick squats to keep blood flowing to your lifeless legs that sit in a chair all day. Or heck, get crazy and do lunges up and down the hall.Actually, don’t do that.

Anyway, those are just a few ideas to help keep you moving during the day. I really wish I had the chance to do more than sit so much, but hey I’m thankful to have a job and will try to do the best I can with the situation I am in! Hopefully you are able to use some of these to improve your own desk job lifestyle too.

I know when I get off the plane and drive to my hotel, everything will look the same. I know the places I frequent will be no different, and I will see the same faces.

However, I can’t help but feel differently about this trip because of the recent bombings.

Think back long and hard to when you were a kid. My parents used to let my go play outside for hours with my friends. We would ride bikes between our houses, play at a nearby playground, and simply “check in.” Granted, that was a long time ago, but can you even imagine letting your kids do something like that nowadays?

I think about all the fun events we have been to over the years, events full of crowds, and full of chaos- never once thinking we were in danger.

Yet, in recent years it is one thing that always crosses my mind. Whether I’m in a theatre, minding my own business watching a movie, or I’m at a Thunder game with thousands of others cheering on KD.

I know it seems so simplistic to ask, yet I still find myself doing so-

Where did we go so wrong? How did we lose our way?

I know the answer is convoluted, and republicans and democrats want to pontificate the whys and they hows.

And I’m not wanting to do that today, so much, but rather just to take another moment to take a step back and simply allow myself to wonder how we got here.

Today’s post is not about answering this question, because I believe there are tons of contributors. It’s not about figuring out how to make things better, because I believe there are tons of solutions, too.

Rather, as I head to Boston today I find myself mindful of the changing times, and simultaneously hopeful and fearful for what the future holds for our world as we continued down our paths, both globally as well as within our own small egocentric circles of life.

I could obviously devote paragraph upon paragraph about all this “stuff.”

But let’s not do that.

It’s exhausting.

I’m exhausted.

I can’t change someone.

I want to change people, but I can’t change them. I can only change me. I can only change me and hope that it inspires others around me to want to change themselves, too.

I want to be a light, and sometimes I am, but most times I’m not. Most times I’m just neutral, just coasting through the motions.

But days like today remind me of my value and the importance of really living the life I have to the fullest.

Before leaving the awesomeness that is the 20s, I wanted to take a moment to soak it all in and really look over some of the milestones of the decade.

Without further ado, here is a quick recap of the last decade.

20
Got married
Honeymooned in the Poconos
Moved in with Will
Still in school (blah)
Worked in the school’s transcripts department (big money!)

21
Turned 21! Not a wild night (I was a pastor’s wife)
Had been married for a month
Still in school
Took a weekend quick trip to the mountains for a surprise getaway
Got a surprise Christmas Tree from Will
Started a blog! Had major foot surgery

26
Stopped posting. :(
Got a promotion
Saw my BIL get married
Went to Chicago over Labor Day and visited my sister!
Went again over Halloween and saw Tiesto! Amazing concert

27
Started school
It sucked
Still not posting much during this time
Got serious about eating right
Went to Broken Bow for an amazing glamping weekend away
Went to my Gran’s birthday party in Iowa
Saw my sweet friend Terry get married and got to go to New York!
Celebrated my sister’s 21st in Chicago!

28
Continued to endure school
Still hardly posted
Went to Florida for the OU-Florida State game
Found out my sister was going to have a baby
Cut my long hair!
Went to Green Bay and Minneapolis for vacation for old time’s sake
Found out my sister was having a girl, got to be there for the ultrasound

Oviously lots more I wish I could recap, but I had a hard time remembering, and I feel like this is a pretty good consolidation of the last decade. God is so good. I am so thankful for my family and the blessings along the way.

Despite the fact that, for some reason, I still don’t think it’s a reality.

I never really thought I would struggle with denial.

But I totally am!

I am most certainly having, “I’m not 30, I’m 20-10” syndrome.

Pathetic.

It just seems impossible that I am exiting my 20s, a decade that has been pretty great to me.

When I used to think about 30, it seemed so far away.

So different.

So not even in my zip code.

But now not only is it in my zip code, but it’s freaking walking up the driveway with a dozen black roses preparing to beat down my door like the annoying pudgy boy scouts selling their delicious popcorn.

I sat there, taking it all in, and thinking about what 30 meant in my silly mind.

It meant being totally grown up and at a point where you can’t make excuses about not knowing what you want to do with your life or needing to “find yourself.”

To me, 30 means being a freaking adult, owning it, and having stuff figured out.

And I sat there and thought, “Holy crap, I’m 30 and I don’t feel any of those things!”

The truth is that I am not ready to be 30 yet.

I have too much to do before I’m ready!

Alright, I realize I’m being dramatic, but I just don’t feel like I’m “there” yet.

Like I’ve arrived.

Like I’m old enough to actually be a qualified 30 year old.

For those of you already on the other side of 30 (and for the rest of you that simply think I’m being ridiculous), I realize my life isn’t going to end on Sunday when I wake up.

I know I’m being a little flamboyant.

However, I’m just not ready to be done with my 20s! I want to be in my 20s for the next 20 years. And not fake 20s like the girls who lie about their age. I want to actually and legitimately be in my 20s.

As in creating a time machine to Benjamin Button me.

Now that I’m almost 30 I finally realize how freaking awesome my 20s were. Sure, I knew that during some of the time- but now I would have enjoyed that all of the time!

That wisdom you get as you age?

Yeah, me and P decided they should really give that to you at the beginning of your life so you can fully enjoy everything life brings and avoid some of the stupid dumb things you tend to regret.

Alright- I’m talking butterflies and unicorns right now (yeah- this all sounds like I’m really ready to be 30 with all this make believe talk!). I sound absurd.

I know.

Don’t tell me.

I don’t necessarily know what I was expecting, or where I thought I would be, and maybe that’s part of the problem?

I have a few goals I want to work toward, but really I just sort of see my tomorrows like I do my todays, but hopefully a little better and more enriched. I guess, if I think about it and look back, that’s really what I have accomplished along the way. From getting married, moving, getting work experience, being blessed with a good job, having my family nearby…. I’m very blessed.

Maybe I had some giant alternate plans along the way, and most of us probably do. However, overall my life has turned out great. So maybe I’m not a world famous blogger (haha) or doing my dream job for a living. The truth is, I really don’t know what my “dream job” is anymore. Somehow between a mortgage, and hitting my mid 20s I settled into this life because it was known and comfortable, and the thought of doing anything different, felt, well uncomfortable. Like if I were to “think outside the box” or consider possible alternatives and make them possibilities in my life they would be real and I would have to do them.

And it scared me.

And so I’ve pushed them to the back burner and have used the excuse that- I know I want to be doing something else, but I don’t really know what that “something else” is as my safety net.

The truth is, although I don’t know exactly what I want to do, I have a pretty darn good idea. I want to help people. I want people to feel good about themselves. I want to help people be better. However, I’ve been hiding behind the unknown as a way for me not to deal with it, in hopes one day I would just wake up and it would all hit me at once.

Um, even for someone in their 20s, that is stupid.

The truth is, I know I need to be making things happen and pursuing those unknowns. I don’t want to approach the next big birthday milestone with wonder or regret. There’s no need to.

Brittny- there is no need to.

I get so hung up on these thoughts that bad things will happen if I pursue some of these “unknowns.”

Mainly because I’m ridiculous.

It’s like I feel like if I try other things it will mean I will have to make giant adjustments in my life, and the truth is that I don’t have to.

I’m trying things. Not taking them on full bore. Not making them my fulltime job.

Sheesh! 30 year old Brittny needs to tell 29 year old Brittny to freaking calm down already.

With that in mind, I want to memorialize some of the things I would like to pursue in the next year. Nothing too lofty. Just clear, attainable goals.

1. Run a 5k (who am I kidding?! Run/walk a 5k)
2. Volunteer somewhere
3. Train someone
4. Do something nice for the people I love most (the “something” to be determined at a later date)

The good: Getting my masters degree and hard work at the office paid off and I got a promotion this week!
The bad: I have to travel for work next week. :(

The good: I am travelling on my own, which I prefer most of the time.
The bad: I have to drive on my own, which I hate most of the time

The good: Since I’m on my own, I can eat what I want and can load up on healthy things
The bad: No green monsters for me OR Will this week.

The good: The weather is going to be decent where I’m headed… but still cold.
The bad: Long walks to and from various buildings… in the cold.

The good: I arrive with plenty of daylight, incase for when I get lost.
The bad: I get back to OKC at 5:45… which inevitably means 8 because, really, do flights ever get to where they’re going on time? Hopefully I just jinxed myself for the good?

The good: Will is playing paintball with the guys this weekend which gives me some time to myself.
The bad: My sister has a weekend class which means no sister time!

The good: It’s Friday! And a good week for me. Let’s end on a good and not a bad! Happy weekend, friends. More to come.

I am incredibly jubilant about the opportunity for a vacation day and am looking forward to the time off.

My company instituted a new vacation policy this year whereby if you accrue 2.5 times your yearly vacation allowance, you stop accruing vacation altogether until you get your time down.

Bummer.

Things are always busy around my office (coupled with being understaffed), so I don’t take many days, so I have been battling “use or lose” time constantly since the rule went into effect.

The good thing about that, though, is that it has allowed me to take a much needed break from work.

I have a fun filled Friday planned too, which makes me happy.

But first, I feel I ought to recap last weekend (yeah, yeah I know…. “old news”).

That way when I’m old and in my 30s next month (wah!) I can fondly remember the good old days of being in my 20s.

My mom’s birthday was on Friday, so we went over to celebrate. My sweet sister made me my own vegan coconut crème pies! How thoughtful, right!? I was so touched by her sweetness!

Sadly, my mom wasn’t feeling very well so we did not stay all that long so she could rest. She and my dad were leaving for Vegas the next morning, so we were all hoping she would feel better before they left.

And remember how I mentioned having Layla to myself on Saturday? Well, it didn’t end up turning out that way but it was still a good day!

I went to the gym early that morning and then got ready and went to the grocery store. The weather was supposed to be beautiful so the plan was for me, P, and Layla go to Target and look for some cute spring clothes and then take Layla to the park. And then enjoy a crisp glass of white wine. Perfecto!

Only, we didn’t end up doing any of that.!

I ended up going over to see them around 11 and we hung around for a little while.

We started feeling lazy and got into our usual rut of being comfortable and not wanting to leave the house. Plus, since Layla is teething, my sister is always a little nervous that she is taking a ticking time bomb to a public place that could detonate into a mess of tears and screams at any time. Yet, at the same time, we didn’t want to waste the day.

We contemplated a few things and then I mentioned it would be fun if we could still go do something that was sort of low key, but still allowed us to get out.

So we ended up going to Zam Zams for lunch! It is a middle eastern restaurant in the city that is very casual and perfect for our needs. It was like old times in Kuwait, sharing grape leaves and hummus with my sister and talking about a million different things. And Layla was so good too!

We ate outside to enjoy the day, and it was just such a good quick trip out! Afterward, we went back to the house and hung around so Layla could nap (which never ended up happening).

Will and I needed to go to Sams, so we all ended up going and enjoying the fun excitement that is Sam’s Club. Ha!

Is that place ever empty?!

We got the things we needed… and then got their incredibly non-vegan Sam’s cheese pizza to go.

Yep, it happened.

On the way home, Layla passed out in the back of P’s car. She was exhausted from her busy day out, and hadn’t taken a proper nap all day.

The last thing my sister wanted to do was get her out of the car and wake her.

So- the two of us ended up eating our pizza in the back of her car with the trunk door open while she slept.

What a sight!

Hey, you do what you gotta do with a teething, sleeping baby.

Afterward we watched some TV and went to sleep around 9.

Wild night.

P and Layla ended up staying with us that night, and around 3 that morning Layla was up crying.

I got up and went in to check on them and she was up for a good 45 minutes, and I feared she wasn’t going to go back to sleep for a while.

I have to admit, I wasn’t much help. I suppose I was there for moral support mostly? She finally drifted to sleep and slept several more hours.

Sunday seems like a big blur to me. We didn’t get out except to get a fancy new pooper scooper for the back yard.

Nice.

That way Will and I will both have one and can divide and conquer.

Good plan!

We had P and Layla over for dinner, and that was about it! I’m sure there is more to that day, but it seems like ages ago.

My allergies were giving me trouble Sunday and could hardly sleep that night. I ended up taking my second sick day with my company and allowed myself some time to rest.

I spent the day with P and Layla which was so nice!

I rested and monitored work from the couch, and we watched TV and movies all day. Definitely a lazy Monday, but it was definitely helpful because I am feeling better today.

And can finally breathe through my nose again.

Awesome! Haha

We also signed up something fun, and I can’t wait to share it with you guys once it happens!

And now it’s Thursday and I get another weekend all over again!

We have plans to take Layla to see the Easter bunny, but I’m not quite sure if that will still happen.

Remember how I said my mom got sick last Friday?

Yeah.

So it ended up being worse than we all thought.

My mom is such a freaking trooper.

So she woke still feeling sick Saturday morning, but she and my dad still continued forward with their travel plans. They ended up doing a million things during their weekend, from seeing a couple shows, to touring the town, riding in some fancy race cars, and who knows what else! All the while, my mom hadn’t had food or water since that Friday before she got sick.

How terrible, right?!

She is so stubborn and would not let my dad take her to an AM-PM clinic while they were there, so she pressed on.

What!?

They got in Tuesday night, and my dad took her to the hospital. They admitted her and immediately got her on an IV because of her severe dehydration. And when they finished that one, they started another. They ran an X-Ray and CT scan and determined there was some sort of blockage in her esophagus that needs to be removed.

Thankfully they were able to start fluids immediately.

Unfortunately she is still at the hospital and is still waiting to be hydrated enough before they can perform the procedure. :(

What a way to finish the week, right? Geez…

I am so thankfully she is doing better, and cannot believe how hard headed that woman is! We were all worried about her! but I know she wanted my dad to have a good time in Vegas since they had never been before.

So tomorrow might be a little relaxed and might just entail us hanging close to the house to spend time with our mom.

Plus I still haven’t seen their pictures!

So that’s my big weekend update and weekend preview.

Not sure what else is on the docket, but I’m sure you will hear all about it.